Villa v Leeds Post-Match thread

[paul_e]

The fact that he knows that we've been lucky in some games is good, like you said. As for the problems he needs addressing, there's not that many of them really. Fine tuning and some more convincing wins is what's needs, along with some new players.

My feeling is that we're a decent midfielder away from making lot more click, so for example someone who can link up with McCormack and bring him more into the game.

And yes, I know we've spent (seemingly) eternity just one or two players away from breaking out - with the exception of the last few years when we've mostly been 11 players away from breaking out. But we're a long way from playing the worst football ever.

This is the bit that worries me, as a club we've let managers get away with doing very little to improve players by always having the opinion that "we'll fix it in the next window" it's the sentiment that let MON buy defences 2 windows running, that let Lambert buy half a team every summer and let Sherwood and RDM buy an pretty much a new team in the last 2 summers.  That turnover is unsustainable.

[Tayls_7]

Our defence and forward lines are very respectable. The reason we are hard to beat but only grind out positive results by the finest of margins is because our central midfield is woeful. I reckon Mr.Bruce knows this. This time we really are 1-2 marquee signings away from a decent side. I'm excited to see how he gets on.

[paul_e]

Then lets see if we get marquee signings in midfield, Hourihane is the only player we've been linked to who could possibly be classed as that though.  Rhodes and James in particular are links that worry me, I hope they're just paper talk.

[Tayls_7]

Then lets see if we get marquee signings in midfield, Hourihane is the only player we've been linked to who could possibly be classed as that though.  Rhodes and James in particular are links that worry me, I hope they're just paper talk.

We've got a manager who has turned our fortunes steadily around. He makes a lot of sense when interviewed. It doesn't sound a lot for a club of our size but after the calamitous few years we've had I'll take it. I accept the fact you have a more discerning approach but to criticise him for things yet to pass is a bit much. You give the indication that you don't like him much.

[Clampy]

Then lets see if we get marquee signings in midfield, Hourihane is the only player we've been linked to who could possibly be classed as that though.  Rhodes and James in particular are links that worry me, I hope they're just paper talk.

We've got a manager who has turned our fortunes steadily around. He makes a lot of sense when interviewed. It doesn't sound a lot for a club of our size but after the calamitous few years we've had I'll take it. I accept the fact you have a more discerning approach but to criticise him for things yet to pass is a bit much. You give the indication that you don't like him much.

You do get the impression that some people are waiting for Bruce to fail rather than wanting them to.

[paul_e]

Then lets see if we get marquee signings in midfield, Hourihane is the only player we've been linked to who could possibly be classed as that though.  Rhodes and James in particular are links that worry me, I hope they're just paper talk.

We've got a manager who has turned our fortunes steadily around. He makes a lot of sense when interviewed. It doesn't sound a lot for a club of our size but after the calamitous few years we've had I'll take it. I accept the fact you have a more discerning approach but to criticise him for things yet to pass is a bit much. You give the indication that you don't like him much.

That not what I intended rather I just flipped the argument. Your argument was, effectively, that we're not playing well but when he signs a couple of good midfielders we'll be fine.  I just countered that by saying what if he doesn't and picking a couple of names from the press that I'd count as being the wrong type of signings (Rhodes because I don't think he's an improvement, James because I don't think he's much cop and both would come in not match fit which doesn't help us fill the Kodjia gap).


Clampy it's not about waiting for him to fail, or wanting him to fail, or disliking him, or anything else like that.  It's that I've seen enough of his teams to be concerned that what we're seeing now isn't a temporary style but it's actually what we'll get from him.  I can enjoy the results and be relieved that we finally seem to be heading up rather than down but also not particularly enjoy watching us play, those opinions aren't exclusive.  I really want to watch games and know, after an hour, that the result is in the bag rather than going into the last half hour praying for a winner/equaliser every week.  Just because those prayers are being answered more often than not doesn't mean I can't wish we didn't need to feel that way quite so often.

[Tayls_7]

Then lets see if we get marquee signings in midfield, Hourihane is the only player we've been linked to who could possibly be classed as that though.  Rhodes and James in particular are links that worry me, I hope they're just paper talk.

We've got a manager who has turned our fortunes steadily around. He makes a lot of sense when interviewed. It doesn't sound a lot for a club of our size but after the calamitous few years we've had I'll take it. I accept the fact you have a more discerning approach but to criticise him for things yet to pass is a bit much. You give the indication that you don't like him much.

That not what I intended rather I just flipped the argument. Your argument was, effectively, that we're not playing well but when he signs a couple of good midfielders we'll be fine.  I just countered that by saying what if he doesn't and picking a couple of names from the press that I'd count as being the wrong type of signings (Rhodes because I don't think he's an improvement, James because I don't think he's much cop and both would come in not match fit which doesn't help us fill the Kodjia gap).


Clampy it's not about waiting for him to fail, or wanting him to fail, or disliking him, or anything else like that.  It's that I've seen enough of his teams to be concerned that what we're seeing now isn't a temporary style but it's actually what we'll get from him.  I can enjoy the results and be relieved that we finally seem to be heading up rather than down but also not particularly enjoy watching us play, those opinions aren't exclusive.  I really want to watch games and know, after an hour, that the result is in the bag rather than going into the last half hour praying for a winner/equaliser every week.  Just because those prayers are being answered more often than not doesn't mean I can't wish we didn't need to feel that way quite so often.

I can only reiterate my belief that we are 1-2 mobile, dynamic central midfielders away from a much more cohesive side. I know our stock has fallen of late but Mr.Bruce has never previously managed a side of our size, with our expectations. He has excelled iin taking teams to promotion or keeping smaller clubs punching above their weight. To achieve this he's done whatever
it takes. I am guessing he knows in time we'll want a return to a level commensurate with a club of our stature but for the time at least he has to get us moving forward. He's done that.